[rustamd]

Looking great! How are you liking ATC? How is runout on it?

[widgitmaster]

Hi Russ, the ATC is excellent!

Last night I made up a new MDF sub plate, machined a flat surface to the extreme limits of travel in X & Y axis. The new surface is about .005" deep. Then I milled a grid .015" deep, using a 1/16" 2 flute end mill with a 45 deg point. The grid is 1/2" spacing from center of work area.

Next I mounted a piece of maple toward the front of the machine using double sided tape, and resurfaced the top nice and flat.

For the next few hours (up till 2 AM) I wrote a small program to make a long & narrow plaque that says "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!". Using Photo Shop to make the text image, then I saved it as a .TIF file. Then I loaded the .TIF image into PhotoVcarve, and generated the G-Codes to make the text.

The 1st tool is a solid carbide 1/4" 2-flute, with 3/4" LOC.
The 2nd tool is a brazed carbide 3/8" ball nose 2-flute.
The 3rd tool is a solid carbide 1/16" ball end mill with 3/16" LOC.

So I place a pine blank on the fixture, using six 1" squares of double sided tape. Then the 1st tool mills .05" off the top of the blank, and makes 3-passes around the perimeter.
The 2nd tool makes 4-passes around the upper corners, each removing .04" per pass.
The 3rd tool starts in the front right corner, and cuts the top leaving the text .080" deep!

The reason for the multiple passes of the first two tools is to keep the blank from moving on the fixture!

Tonight I'll tweak the program a bit, and run off a dozen plaques! They will make excellent gifts!

Oh yea,
The 1x4x8 pine cost me $8.72 and makes 11 blanks at a cost of $0.79 each!
If I could only get aluminum at that price!

[widgitmaster]

Last night I made some improvements to the wood plaque design, and ran off a hand full!

Every time I go to setup the machine, the tool lengths in a bit of a hassle! So I search the web for various tool setting gages and stands, here is what I found! It's a fancy stand with a digital indicator on it!
Now the stand is only good for telling me what the lengths of the tools are, but it doesn't set the 1st tool to zero in Mach3! My solution was to make a little pad that's 3/4" OD, with a 1/4" shank. Now I can use that to set the Z Zero in Mach3, and use it as the starting point in measuring the other tool lengths!

Next I took one of the SK15 tool holders out to the shop, and mounted it in the lathe's spindle. After getting it to turn dead true, I rotated the compound on the lathe and dialed the side of the taper. When the indicator stopped moving, I locked the compound.
Then I took a bar of 303-SS and drilled a 3/8" hole about 1 1/2" deep. Next I bored a tapered hole until the SK15 tool holder nested about the same depth as the spindle's taper.

Now the tool holders fit perfectly in the test stand, and I can measure across the master tool to set my caliper to zero. Then I can measure all the other tools to get their lengths!

Widgit

[widgitmaster]

I would not have expected to have problems with the ATC so soon, but after approximately 65 hours it's DEAD!
The bearings overheated and seized! The tool holders were too hot to touch!

So now I have to return ship it to the UK so it can be returned to Germany!


Arrrggggg

[rustamd]

Sorry to hear that Eric

Does the unit look servicable? I know its still new, but it would be more economical to replace bearings yourself? Then at least you control what quality bearings go in there..

[widgitmaster]

Sorry to hear that Eric

Does the unit look servicable? I know its still new, but it would be more economical to replace bearings yourself? Then at least you control what quality bearings go in there..

Hi Rustamd,
I have sent the seller an email, I'll wait for his reply before I tear it apart!
Widgit

[widgitmaster]

Its been too cold to work in the garage, but I did manage to make the two aluminum plates for the front dashboard! Also, the 2nd LPT port PCI card arrived, so I can add it to the computer !

The ATC for the Kress spindle is still out of commission, and the people in Germany are being difficult! So I have asked for the bearing specifications and an English version of the user's manual; hopefully, I'll be able to replace them myself! Otherwise I'm out several hundreds of dollars

Next I'll figure out the best placement for all the switches, and drill the holes for them!

[skillalot]

Any news about the ATC?
I've heard about some people who made an adapter to fit these ATC's to Chinese watercooled spindles. That really interested me, but reading that yours stopped working after only 65 hours makes me think twice before buying anything like that.

Did you manage to replace the bearings yourself, and if so do you have any pictures of it? Maybe it's possible to make such an ATC addon for my 80mm spindle myself. Buying a too small one and adjust it and seeing it destroy itself after 65hours isn't nice.

Regs,
Sascha

[Mountaincraft]

widgetmaster.. You do gorgeous work!.. Love that PS and multi-pin cable too!

Carve one was right on the money when he called it 'jewelry'
:cheers:

[CarveOne]

I haven't seen any posts from widgetmaster in a while, so I checked his last visit and he was last here on 5-15-2011.

Yes, his machining work is always impeccably finished. A real inspiration to us mere wannabe's with cheap machines and tooling.

CarveOne

[widgitmaster]

I haven't seen any posts from widgetmaster in a while, so I checked his last visit and he was last here on 5-15-2011.

Yes, his machining work is always impeccably finished. A real inspiration to us mere wannabe's with cheap machines and tooling.

CarveOne

Yes, this was the year my Mother's condition took a turn for the worse, then she passed away.
The ATC I had bought for this build was a $1000 loss, which was too much for me to handle at that time! I hibernated for two years.......

Now I'm busy building my largest router table ever!
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc_wo...oject_9ft.html

[CarveOne]

I understand. You're back again and your followers are very appreciative for that.

[widgitmaster]

This is a very old thread, but this router is in need of another upgrade!

The four Kress 800 spindles I have for this router are all worn out, its a pain to change brushes and the running noise is too much! So i have decided to change over to a water cooled VFD spindle!
Last week I had contacted a supplier on Amazon, requesting a price for a 110-VAC 2.2Kw Inverter with the electronic break circuit installed, along with a 3 hp 2.2Kw water cooled spindle with four bearings and the ER-20 collets. Then I went on Mouser to order a 1000-Watt 68-Ohm wire-wound breaking resistor. Today I found an 16" x 14"x 8" Hoffman box with a hinged lid and front latch!

I'm glad I kept all my records in a folder when I built this machine, as interfacing the VFD inverter to the old "Bob Campbell-Sound Logic" breakout board is going to be a challenge! As I plan to contact them and see if their board will connect to the PMDX-107 Spindle Speed Control board!

While all that is going on in the background, I have to make a custom spindle clamp in order to attach the 80mm spindle body to my little linear slides and the ball-nut! To do this, I have to order a 6"x6"x4" block of aluminum from Speedy Metals! The spindle & inverter will arrive around December 2nd, so I have time to manufacture the hardware!
The CAD file is finished, so on with the upgrade

[R L Harris]

I love my 2.2kw er20 water cooled spindle so hope you will to - I am am prepping to start cutting some Victorian Santa sleighs in few days!

[Bubba]

WidgetMaster,
Knowing you, it will be a work of art and outperform expectations. Looking forward to the build.

[CNCMAN172]

I love attending Wigit University. Just watching you build things is so enjoyable. Most of us know we will never get to your level. Watching you is like watching a super star quarterback in the NFL. If the people in Chinese actually attended WIgit University they might actually learn now to build and design something instead of just making cheap copies. While some things coming out of China have their place, I seriously doubt you will find any of their machines that would even come close to the accuracy to which you build things. Great Job Widget.

Keep up the good work we are all cheering for you.

Russ

[widgitmaster]

Thanks guys!
Swelled head here (chair)

Because this is an OLD build, I'll add some of the router's specifications:

Max travel:
X-Axis: 14.2475"
Y-Axis: 15.4614"
Z-Axis: 6.2992"

4th Axis:
Length: 12.000"
Diameter: 5.5000"

Rapid Feeds: 300 Ipm

Stepper Motors:
Nema-23
Torque: 282 Oz/Inch

Ball Screws:
16mm x 5mm/rev

[TOTALLYRC]

It is about time that you did something Widgit. I mean really you finished that big red machine and then what, nothing! (very tongue in cheek)

MIke

[widgitmaster]

It is about time that you did something Widgit. I mean really you finished that big red machine and then what, nothing! (very tongue in cheek)

MIke

I don't know about you, but I'm 65 and the arthritis in my hands and hips has slowed me down to a crawl
About 2-3 hours a week in the garage with Big Red is all I can handle these days!
And then there's my Harley Trike, it's a pleasure to ride and that doesn't hurt my hips, only my hands!
Widgit

[bill south]

WOW.
Nice looking scooter Widgit! Sold my king last year and have regretted it ever since. Funny, never have time to ride but still miss the heck out of my bike! Must be a head thing (he with the most toys wins!)!!
Maybe when I finally retire.
Keep up the good work.
Bill